United States v. Dan Nichols (2011-present, Helena, MT)

After March 2011 raids of medical marijuana providers in 13 Montana cities, the owners and employees of Montana Cannabis, one of the largest and most visible medical marijuana operations in the state, were indicted on charges relating to the manufacture, possession, and distribution of marijuana, as well as conspiracy to maintain drug-involved premises. Former Montana Cannabis employee Dan Nichols was arrested in May 2011 in Butte County.

Nichols is infamous as the son in father-son mountain man duo that kidnapped a world-class biathlete in the 1980s to make the woman his mountain bride. Dan Nichols received a ten-year prison term for kidnapping and assault; his father remains in prison after killing a citizen who attempted to rescue their kidnap victim.

As an employee of Montana Cannabis, Nichols performed security duties for the Helena nursery. In January 2013, after pleading guilty to a single charge of conspiracy to maintain drug-involved premises, Nichols was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, forfeiture of $288,000, and a $100 federal assessment.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.